pit bull

American  

[pit bool] / ˈpɪt ˌbʊl /

Informal, pittie or pitbull

noun

• pit bulls
  plural

1. a stocky, muscular dog with a broad skull and a smooth coat, belonging to an informal category of purebred and mixed-breed dogs that includes the American Staffordshire terrier, the Staffordshire bull terrier, and sometimes the American bulldog or boxer.

2. Also called American pit bull terrier.  American Staffordshire terrier.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pit bulls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pit bull

First recorded in 1925–30; pit ¹ ( def. ) (in the sense “enclosure for staging animal fights”) + bull(dog) ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pit bull

“Drop a golden retriever owner into a pit bull neighborhood, and they’ll face constant stress,” Adamen said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

When I lived in downtown Phoenix, my pit bull Ziggy once escaped through the fence and disappeared, causing my wife to burst into tears.

From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2026

Our dog is an all-white pit bull and her name is Betty White.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025

The 1991 Act had already banned the ownership of four breeds - the pit bull terrier, the Japanese tosa, dogo argentino and fila brasileiro.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025

Me: unless there’s a new dog over 8 years, black fur, weighing more than 60 pounds, and is mostly pit bull or shepherd.

From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty